


I'll Hold Your Hand if You'll Hold Mine

by sky_reid



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Oral Sex, Plot? What Plot?, Porn, Porn Without Plot, Sex, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-18
Updated: 2012-01-18
Packaged: 2017-10-29 17:41:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/322449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sky_reid/pseuds/sky_reid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur's not always the best company, but Merlin can deal with that. That's why they fit so well together after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Hold Your Hand if You'll Hold Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Title from the song _Rumors of My Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated_ by Rise Against.
> 
> I'm actually working on another story atm, but progress is slow. So here, have some shameless porn instead ^^

 

 _I'll Hold Your Hand if You'll Hold Mine_

 

Arthur stormed into the room, slammed the door behind himself and threw his helm on the table; it landed on its side, noisily rolled twice over the wooden top and finally fell to the stone floor with a loud clanking sound. A soft gasp came from the other side of the room and Arthur looked up just in time to see Merlin's head poke out from the closet.

 

“Arthur?” he asked carefully, quickly folding the tunic he was holding and putting it away. Arthur shook his head and started yanking the armour off angrily, internally cursing the knights, and the training, and his own pride, and his father, and the entire kingdom. Merlin's hand on his shoulder stopped him. “Do you want me to go away while this,” he waved his hand in front of Arthur's face and chest, clearly indicating the foul mood and bratty behaviour, “blows over?” he asked. His hand was strong and steady, and he was looking at Arthur with concern and patience, affection so obvious in his expression, Arthur couldn't help but relax a little. He focused on Merlin's eyes, getting lost in all the shades of blue, and felt his anger dissipate. He reached out and took Merlin's hand from his shoulder, guiding it to his lips and pressing a chaste kiss to the knuckles. “Or would you like me to stay?” Merlin said quietly, taking another step forward.

 

“Stay,” Arthur replied without hesitation, pressing their foreheads together and exhaling loudly, wishing the still present sting of anger to go out with his breath. It didn't really work, but Merlin's lips on his temple did.

 

“Want to talk?” Merlin asked, running his hand through Arthur's hair while Arthur played with his fingers.

 

“No,” Arthur breathed out, feeling tired now that the rage he'd spent all his energy on passed. He didn't want to talk about how his father had yet again visited the training grounds and insisted Arthur was too lenient, his practicing too light, his knights too weak, leading the training himself instead. He didn't want to tell Merlin how his father had made his knights train with actual sharpened swords, how Lancelot had a cut on his arm so deep he had to see Gaius, how Gwaine had a black eye and a dislocated shoulder, how Leon almost broke his leg. He didn't want Merlin to know that there was a bruise on his side, a cut on his thigh, a dull pain in his right wrist. “Help me with the armour?” he asked, already pulling away because of course Merlin would agree.

 

Merlin put a hand on the back of his neck and pulled him in again, kissing his lips gently before moving away. “Sure,” he said, wrapping his arms around Arthur and blindly undoing the laces holding up the chainmail. He took it off and placed it over the chair before running his hands down Arthur's sides. Arthur winced as Merlin's palms smoothed over the bruise, and he saw Merlin's brows draw closer, but Merlin didn't react, just rested his hands lower, on Arthur's hips and kneeled in front of him. Arthur felt such relief and gratitude at Merlin's tacit agreement on not talking about it, that he ran his hands through Merlin's hair, cupped the back of his head in one palm and angled his face up. He brushed his thumb over Merlin's cheekbone and stared into his eyes. He wanted to say something, although he wasn't sure what, but Merlin's brows went back to their usual places and he smiled a little, so Arthur figured he understood. Merlin's hands ran down his legs, and his fingers brushed so close to the cut, that Arthur suspected Merlin knew it was there (he probably did). But neither of them mentioned anything and Merlin unbuckled his boots and took them off the same way he always did, dropping them by the door before coming back to stand close. “Anything else?” he offered.

 

“Do you have anything you need to be doing?” Arthur asked, running a hand down Merlin's arm and starting to play with his fingers again. They were long and knobbly, deceptively thin. But Arthur knew they, like Merlin himself, were much stronger than they looked. He knew Merlin was strong enough, that Arthur could lean on him and not be afraid of falling.

 

“Not unless you order me something,” Merlin replied, wiggling his fingers in Arthur's grasp and smiling at him warmly. Arthur kissed the digits and tugged him closer. Merlin's warmth was comforting and relaxing, his body fitting with Arthur's in a practiced position.

 

“I order you,” Arthur began, and Merlin rolled his eyes, but didn't move away, “to stay here with me.”

 

“Prat,” Merlin whispered fondly, extracting his hand from Arthur's and placing it on the side of his face. Arthur brushed their noses together, and kissed Merlin's lips softly before leaning his forehead on Merlin's shoulder and exhaling loudly. “Are you all right?” Merlin whispered in his ear, making the hair on Arthur's neck stand up.

 

“Don't ask me that yet,” he replied quietly, burying his face in the crook of Merlin's neck to hide from everything. He delighted in the shiver that ran through Merlin's body when his lips brushed over the sensitive skin.

 

“Right, less talking, more...?” Merlin suggested and it made Arthur smile again. Sometimes he complained about how well Merlin knew him, but the truth was, he loved it.

 

“I am much too tired to satisfy _your_ insatiable desire,” he teased, purposefully moving his lips over the tendons of Merlin's neck as he did.

 

“I'm sure we'll work something out,” Merlin replied, sliding his hand down to Arthur's chest, the other one finding a hip and squeezing. “Kiss me,” he breathed, and Arthur chuckled, pressing a light kiss under his ear. Merlin fisted his tunic and warned, “Arthur...”

 

“You're needy,” Arthur complained, even as he licked at the shell of Merlin's ear before moving down his neck with more insistent open-mouthed kisses.

 

“You're not exactly better,” Merlin replied with more than a hint of amusement, guiding Arthur backwards to the bed with the hand on his hip. Arthur stumbled and almost fell when he tripped on his helm, still lying on the floor. Merlin laughed at him, but held him up, his arms strong as they gripped Arthur's and supported his weight to keep him from tumbling backwards. Merlin was still laughing when Arthur kissed him square on the lips, thanking him for yet another proof as to why exactly Arthur trusted him so much. Merlin made a surprised noise, but quickly kissed back, parting his lips just a fraction, but enough for Arthur to deepen the kiss. Arthur slid his tongue into Merlin's mouth without resistance, but Merlin didn't let him get much further, kissing back with force, tongue quick and playful, his hand sliding around to cup Arthur's ass. Arthur responded by letting Merlin dictate the kiss and opening his mouth wider in a silent invitation. Not one to disappoint, Merlin slid his tongue into Arthur's mouth, and Arthur started sucking on it, opening his eyes to see Merlin's roll back and close; sometimes, he let Merlin dominate their kisses just so he could do that and watch Merlin's reaction – it never failed to send a shiver of arousal through his body.

 

When he fell back on the bed, Arthur pulled Merlin with him, accidentally biting on his tongue a bit too harshly; he was about to apologize, but Merlin moaned and rolled his hips down, so Arthur just smiled into his mouth instead. Merlin easily rearranged them on the bed until they found the most satisfying position (Arthur's back supported by pillows, his legs stretched out in front of him, one hand moving absently over Merlin's back while the other was placed lightly over Merlin's half-hard cock; Merlin straddling Arthur's hips, spine curved as he was bending down to keep their lips glued together, hands on the sides of Arthur's face) without breaking the kiss, and Arthur had to wonder, not for the first time, where Merlin got such skills in the bedroom. He didn't ask, though, too busy trying to breathe while Merlin kissed him to near-unconsciousness.

 

Merlin's hips started rolling in little circles, his cock now fully hard where Arthur kept just a teasingly still hand covering it, his tongue still shoved so deep in Arthur's mouth, Arthur felt light-headed from lack of oxygen; he cursed inwardly as he had to pull back to breathe – Merlin always managed to last longer when their kisses got desperate.

 

“You...” Arthur croaked, pointing an accusing finger at Merlin, who looked annoyingly smug, “You have the lungs of a horse!”

 

“Maybe I just know a few tricks you don't,” Merlin needled, sounding just a little breathless; and Arthur couldn't have that, Merlin breathing _and_ coherent in his bed. So he rolled them over, one hand on Merlin's side, the other on the bed by Merlin's head to hold him up, pinning Merlin to the bunk by pressing their hips together, his erection fitting perfectly between Merlin's cock and thigh. Merlin gasped and tried to thrust up, but Arthur held him still and kissed him again until he was pleased with the moans Merlin couldn't suppress. “Show off,” Merlin said, but he sounded a lot more out of it now, which Arthur took as a success. “Take it off,” Merlin whined, tugging at his tunic.

 

He didn't really want to, because he didn't want Merlin to see the state he was in; he'd half-hoped this would all end with them both finishing embarrassingly quickly and lying together in a heap of sweaty clothes for a while (wouldn't be the first time), but Merlin was nothing if not persistent and he kept yanking at Arthur's clothing, so Arthur gave in. As he'd expected, Merlin's eyes zeroed in on the large dark bruise blooming under his ribs on the right side of his stomach. Merlin reached down between them and traced the outline of it with the tips of his fingers, but didn't comment, surprising Arthur who was prepared for a scolding and medical treatment. Instead, Merlin squirmed out of his shirt, throwing it over the edge of the bed before quickly unlacing both his and Arthur's trousers and pushing them down. Arthur didn't waste a second, lying on top of Merlin completely, wanting the delicious heat of skin-on-skin contact. Merlin kicked the rest of their clothes down their legs while Arthur lay on top of him, utterly useless, mouthing at his collar bones and licking up his neck to bite a bruise under his jaw.

 

Merlin moaned, but followed it with a “Spoiled little... Always have someone else do the work for you.” Arthur rolled his eyes and bit harder, eliciting a yelp, but not a distressed one; Merlin's reactions to biting and playing it rough were giving him _ideas_ , the kind that made him close his eyes and shove his hips forward harder. Merlin's hands flew to his buttocks, squeezing them and pulling him in, giving him a rhythm. He opened his eyes to watch Merlin – licking his lips, his eyes fluttering closed on the particularly good strokes, a flush on his impressive cheekbones, a light sheen of sweat on his skin; Merlin was looking down between their bodies, and Arthur followed his eyes to where their bodies met, their shafts dragging over each other with every long, hard roll of Arthur's hips. Arthur groaned quietly, but tore his eyes away – Merlin's enraptured expression was a far more appealing sight.

 

When he changed the angle a bit, pressing down harder, their erections completely aligned, Merlin growled at him and lifted his hips, Arthur's cock slipped between Merlin's arse cheeks and Arthur gasped at the sudden wave of pleasure that washed over him.

 

“Do you wanna...?” he murmured, moving his hand from Merlin's side over his stomach, ghosting a touch over his cock and balls with every intention of going further, but Merlin stopped him when he rasped out, “Stop.” Arthur looked up at him, eyebrows raised. Instead of answering what Arthur hoped was an obvious question mark on his face, Merlin lifted his upper body and kissed him, his hands moving up Arthur's back to clutch at his shoulders. Arthur got lost in the kiss, and resumed rubbing himself over Merlin's cleft, feeling the little spot of higher temperature where Merlin's hole was, feeling the head of his cock brushing against the sheets, feeling sweat slide down his back into his own crack, feeling Merlin's fingernails digging into his skin, Merlin's breath on his lips wet from spit, Merlin's erection brushing through his pubic hair, tickling him, heat in the room almost visible. He nipped on Merlin's lip just to hear him moan loudly and started moving faster as he felt his orgasm approaching, but Merlin stopped him, one steady hand holding his hip.

 

Merlin kissed him wetly over his cheek to his ear, gasping out, “I want to suck you off.” Arthur's head fell to Merlin's shoulder again, the words going straight to his groin. “I want you in my mouth, I want to taste you, I want to feel you down my throat, I want you to fuck my mouth until I pass out, gods, I just _want_ you,” Merlin was babbling, and while Arthur normally found it to be a very annoying habit, it was making his hips jerk involuntarily now.

 

“Merlin, _shut up_ ,” he whined, shoving forward again, the head of his cock catching on Merlin's hole and making them both take in a sharp breath. Merlin recovered first, rolling them over again and wasting no time in kissing his way from Arthur's ear back to his mouth and inside it, his hands rubbing down Arthur's arms. Arthur relaxed back into the pillow, mind pleasantly filled with haze of arousal, Merlin the only thing penetrating it. Merlin pressed a sucking kiss to his Adam's apple, moving on before he could leave a mark, something Arthur was always grateful for. Arthur sighed happily as Merlin's change of pace made the heat drop, giving him more time to enjoy this and making his whole body buzz with anticipation again. Merlin's lips, wet and swollen, felt heavenly against his chest and over his nipples, but Merlin's hands, gently rubbing his thighs now, were what made him shiver. He would never admit (and Merlin would never want to hear it anyway) that the gentle little touches Merlin always sneaked into their passion were what got to him most. It wasn't something Arthur was hiding (and it wasn't something Merlin didn't know), but it was utterly unlike them to actually say anything about it.

 

As Merlin settled on his knees between Arthur's legs, he ran his hands over his inner thighs, his fingers brushing right next to the cut from the training, which he gently kissed, making Arthur let out a long breath at the pleasant shiver it sent through him. Merlin bent over to lick at his navel, and Arthur's hands tangled into his hair, gently urging him down. Merlin smirked before lifting his eyes to meet Arthur's. “And you call _me_ needy,” he teased before lowering his head and licking a long hot line up Arthur's dick. Arthur's hips went up and he moaned quietly, his fingers weaving further into Merlin's hair and pushing him down. Merlin laughed, his breath hitting Arthur's wet cock, making him gasp and thrust into the air again.

 

“ _Merlinnnnnn_ ,” he said, pulling on Merlin's hair harder, enjoying when Merlin's lips parted at the sensation. “The things that excite you, Merlin,” he managed, not sounding quite as cockily amused as he'd intended to, but getting the message across if the way Merlin's cheeks got even redder and his neck flushed were anything to go by. It astounded Arthur that after everything they'd done, everything Merlin'd said, he still had the mental capacity to be _bashful_. Probably to distract him, Merlin opened his mouth and lowered himself on Arthur's cock, successfully wiping any remnants of thought from his head. He quickly conceded that he didn't need thoughts when he had Merlin's warm wet mouth.

 

Merlin wrapped one hand around the base of Arthur's cock to steady it as he took more of it in, the other arm draping over Arthur's hips as usual to limit his movement and control it. After he'd momentarily thrown his head back when Merlin first sucked him in, Arthur propped himself on one elbow (leaving his other hand in Merlin's hair, alternating between pulling gently and massaging Merlin's scalp with the tips of his fingers) and stared down at Merlin's blissful expression. Merlin's eyes were closed, his cheeks flushed, his fringe sticking to his forehead from sweat; Arthur could feel every exhale through Merlin's nose as a warm puff of air on his cock. Merlin took his time, slowly sliding down as far as he could, until Arthur felt the tip of his cock pressed against Merlin's throat. He watched Merlin briefly open his eyes and look at him before taking a deep breath and pushing further down. Arthur's eyes widened and he shuddered as he felt the head of his cock squeezed by Merlin's throat, but he let himself enjoy the feeling for only a few seconds before he pressed back into the bed, pulling slightly out of Merlin's mouth, scared of hurting him somehow. Merlin whined at the loss, frowning up at Arthur (although, really, it was ruined by the way Merlin's lips hooked under the ridge as he tongued the head of Arthur's erection).

 

“Don't wanna hurt you,” Arthur panted as a way of apology, tugging at Merlin's hair again as Merlin teased at the slit. “ _How_ did you get so good?” Arthur asked, not really caring about getting an answer right then. Merlin hummed non-committally and closed his eyes before starting to bob his head up and down fast. Arthur forced his eyes to stay open through the full-body shiver so he could watch Merlin's work. Every now and them, Arthur felt his cock nudge at Merlin's throat, but Merlin didn't stop to try deep throating him again. He did, however, pause every few strokes up to suck hard at the head, or let his tongue circle it and push a little at the slit; he took a moment to suck on or swallow around Arthur's cock every time his head went down and it wasn't long before Arthur's hips went off the bed. Although Merlin's arm was a warm weight on his waist, it didn't stop him and Merlin didn't pull back for more space; on the contrary he seemed to like the way Arthur's cock slipped past his lips further and faster than allowed. Arthur watched with interest as Merlin sped up, the hand on the base squeezing and relaxing rhythmically. The next time he felt like thrusting his hips up, he did so without reserve and Merlin actually moaned, gripping Arthur's cock a bit too tightly for comfort as he lost track of himself. Arthur tugged at his hair harder and felt the bed shift as Merlin lay down to press himself to the sheets.

 

The idea of shoving himself into Merlin's mouth filtered into his brain through the thick fog in his head and he groaned at the mental image, lying back into the pillows (but still keeping his head raised, because Merlin's head in his lap, Merlin's body shaking between his legs as Merlin rubbed himself on the sheets was one of the best things he'd ever seen in his life) and reaching out for Merlin's face with his free hand. Merlin stilled as Arthur stroked his cheek, sucking a little rhythmically but not moving, his eyes open and locked on Arthur's face. Arthur pressed his thumb under Merlin's cheekbone (Merlin looked at him quizzically but still didn't move) and experimentally lifted his hips, slowly and just a little. He felt his own dick pressed to the inside of Merlin's cheek, watched as Merlin's eyes glazed over and he struggled to keep them open. The arm on his stomach was twitching and Merlin's own hips were moving frantically against the bed, so he let go and pushed into Merlin's mouth with more force and speed. This time, Merlin did close his eyes, groaning and closing his mouth tighter which only served to send a sharp jolt of pain through Arthur as Merlin's teeth grazed the too-sensitive skin. Merlin opened his eyes and stared at him apologetically, his mouth going open all the way. Arthur shushed him and pumped his hips up and down a few more times. Merlin looked like _he_ was the one getting the best blow job of his life, and Arthur couldn't help but smile at how dishevelled and fucked out he looked.

 

“I want to fuck your mouth,” Arthur said, punctuating every word with a thrust up. Merlin whined, the sound coming from deep in his throat and going through Arthur's whole body, making him shiver and buck up harder, his cock slipping further into Merlin's mouth, just the very tip of it going into his throat before Arthur pulled back quickly. Merlin choked for an instant, not expecting it, but he followed when Arthur started to pull out thinking it was too much. Arthur raised an eyebrow questioningly and Merlin smiled up at him as much as he could with his lips stretched around Arthur's dick. He hummed what sounded like a very pleased agreement, pointedly opening his mouth and letting his jaw go slack before releasing Arthur's hips and snaking a hand down between his own legs. Arthur moved his hand from Merlin's cheek to his hair, gripping it tightly and pulling on it to manoeuvre Merlin's head into the position he wanted. After the few first tentative and slightly apprehensive thrusts (slow, deliberate, shallow, _controlled_ ) didn't wipe the look of utter content off Merlin's face and didn't slow the way he was fucking into his own hand or stop his frenzied rubbing on the sheets, Arthur let the control slip and started moving his hips faster and with more heat. He held Merlin's head firmly in place above his groin as his hips snapped up faster and faster. Merlin was practically mewling, a long keening noise that went on for as long as Merlin could probably manage.

 

Arthur was finding breathing increasingly difficult and unnecessary and his whole world was gradually becoming just the fast pace of his hips, the way his cock disappeared into Merlin's mouth, the way Merlin's every breath was coming out as a half-moan. He pulled on Merlin's hair, pushing his head further down, feeling his cock slip down Merlin's throat and enjoying the way Merlin tried to get it in further by swallowing and lowering himself more. He held Merlin's head firmly down, overwhelmed by heat pooling in his stomach, the shaking of his thighs, the feeling of his climax fast approaching. Merlin let out breathless little whimpers, swallowing a few times, and Arthur couldn't help closing his eyes (sad to lose the view, but finding the picture was seared into his brain forever now – he wasn't complaining) and fucking into his mouth fast and unrestrained, pleasure blinding him as he came hard and long, buried deep in Merlin's throat. He fell back onto the pillows completely exhausted, still shaking as his cock twitched a few more times weakly. He felt Merlin pull off and heard him swallow and groaned because he knew the face Merlin was making, the way he was licking his lips. But he was too tired to get up and look, opting to stay lying on his back, staring at the ceiling (which was spinning a little) and feeling like he was floating.

 

Merlin crawled over him carefully avoiding touching his spent and overly sensitive cock, before settling on his stomach, his balls fitting right into the dip of Arthur's hip, his dick hard, heavy and leaking onto Arthur's stomach. He rested his hands on Arthur's chest to support himself, opened his mouth (there was still a drop of come in the corner of his lips and he licked it off with a satisfied smile) and moved his jaw around until it popped.

 

“Are you—“ Arthur started, but it came out as an unintelligible choked sound, so he cleared his throat and tried to remember how to use his voice again. “Are you all right?” he asked, looking up at Merlin with what was probably a really stupid-looking smile, but so beyond caring about that.

 

“Never better,” Merlin breathed, rutting against Arthur's stomach, his nails digging into Arthur's chest. Arthur wanted to reach out and touch him, maybe jerk him off, or just caress his arm or something, but his limbs felt too heavy and his mind was gone, probably died from too much pleasure and went to some kind of heaven (or maybe Merlin had sucked it out of him through his dick. Arthur didn't care much at this point). Merlin didn't seem to mind, quickly deciding time for show was over, and moving one hand from Arthur's chest down to stroke himself. Arthur watched appreciatively as Merlin fucked into his own hand, his balls rolling over Arthur's stomach, the head of his cock, angry red and shiny with precome, slipping out of his fingers; he loved watching Merlin touch himself, the way his head would loll back, exposing his throat, glistening with sweat, his Adam's apple moving up and down quickly, his chest heaving, arms shaking. He often asked to watch (Merlin was reluctant at first, saying how it was nothing interesting, but warmed up to the idea the first time Arthur came from just watching him finger himself), and he would normally participate somehow, telling Merlin how beautiful he was, asking him to do something in particular, kissing him; right now he was too out of it for anything but lying there, sated and still drunk from the high of his orgasm.

 

Merlin choked on a whimper, sped his hand and shoved his hips down; Arthur scrambled with his mind to find his arm and somehow managed to make it move, reached out and caressed Merlin's thigh. Merlin shuddered violently, arched his back, and rocked his hips all the way through his orgasm, milking himself as Arthur watched, mesmerized. For all that he was obnoxiously talkative and usually the louder one during sex, Merlin never made a sound when he came (something Arthur planned to change in the foreseeable future; he wanted to fuck the sounds out of Merlin, hear Merlin scream his name as he came), but he was breathtaking to watch. As he slowed down and slumped over towards Arthur, he sighed contentedly and Arthur couldn't help but smile at the feeling he completely understood. He pulled Merlin closer and kissed him, lazy, sloppy and wet, too much tongue and too little coordination, but absolutely perfect.

 

“I'm dirty now,” Arthur mumbled against Merlin's lips and Merlin chuckled quietly and still out of breath. “Clean me,” Arthur whined, running a finger through the sticky mess on his stomach and chest. It was still warm and the moment when it hit Arthur's skin was still fresh in his mind, Merlin's head thrown back in silent ecstasy, but it would dry soon.

 

“Prat,” Merlin teased kissing the corner of his lips, his cheek, his neck, then holding his wrist and bringing the come-coated finger to his mouth to lick it clean. Arthur hummed and moved his finger in and out a little to see Merlin's eyes close at the feeling again. Merlin pulled off the finger with an obscene pop (which Arthur thought was very much deliberate) and proceeded down Arthur's body to lick him clean, not once breaking eye-contact. Arthur groaned when he realized what Merlin was doing and jerked his hips reflexively, making them both hiss at the feeling when their groins met, still far to sensitive. “Better?” Merlin asked, moving back up for another kiss, still slow and lazy and post-orgasmic, but at least they both seemed more aware of what they were doing now.

 

“Much,” Arthur answered, pulling Merlin down to lie on top of him. They lay in silence, catching their breaths and coming back to the real world until Arthur felt Merlin shiver as his body cooled down. He manhandled a still boneless Merlin to lie on his back on the bed, sat up and pulled the covers over them. He draped himself over Merlin, their legs tangling, Arthur's arm wrapped around Merlin's waist, his head resting where Merlin's shoulder met his chest. The rhythm of Merlin's heartbeat and the slow rise and fall of his chest were calming and made him melt into the bed, sending him to the limbo between sleep and alertness.

 

“Isn't there an official dinner tonight?” Merlin asked quietly, playing with Arthur's hair, one of his hands warm on Arthur's forearm. Arthur grunted emphatically and buried his face in the crook of Merlin's neck, seeking out Merlin's warmth and breathing in his smell.

 

“Merlin?” he ventured after a while, not sure Merlin was still awake.

 

“Mmm?” was Merlin's eloquent reply. Arthur smiled into his neck.

 

“Thank you, for... dealing with me,” he whispered honestly, feeling a blush creep up onto his cheeks, expecting a teasing jab.

 

But all that came was, “You do the same for me,” and a kiss pressed to his hairline. He squeezed Merlin tightly and kissed his neck; he felt Merlin's smile on his temple.

 

He drifted off knowing he would wake up later that evening with a perfectly healthy wrist, salve on his bruise and bandage on his expertly cleaned cut; he'd pretend to be agitated with Merlin for doing it despite being told not to, and for the sake of Arthur's pride, Merlin would pretend to be peeved as well and argue with him, and they'd settle on Arthur calling Merlin the worst servant he'd ever had, and Merlin calling him a prat. But Arthur would only give Merlin half of his daily chores for tomorrow and remind him to bring enough dinner for two, and they would eat together and Arthur would talk about what happened and Merlin would take it as a thank you that it was. Arthur wouldn't ask, but Merlin would stay anyway; they'd lie together, holding hands and whispering, deliriously tired. Arthur would kiss Merlin's forehead, his heart would flutter the way it always did when he was so vulnerable and intimate with Merlin, his eyes would glaze over and he would blush, but Merlin would say nothing of it, just hold on a little tighter.

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing something so explicit -blushes- Hope you enjoyed and thank you for reading :D


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